An Introduction to Candle Magick
Posted on 13 Sep 01:47

Candle Magick is one of the most simple and popular types of Sympathetic Magick - where the spell itself mimics and symbolises the desired result.

As with all Magick you should prepare yourself beforehand by taking a bath to clean yourself and prepare your mind for the spell. It’s good to have clothes that you use only for Spellcraft and an area set aside for your work. If you can’t spare the space or keep a set of clothes aside then make sure you wear clean clothes and clear an area as best as you can.

Focusing Your Intent:

Candle Magick is a process of focusing your intent and using symbolic actions to imprint the candle with your will: Every decision and action speaks about what you want from the spell and the more layers you can add the better. At all times you should be focusing on the outcome you want and directing those thoughts to your spell.

The standard steps are covered here but you should never pass up the opportunity to make the spell even more potent by adding more symbols of your desires. Do you have a lucky number? Great! For a luck spell try to use that number everywhere - apply that many drops of oil, cleanse the candle that many times and light it using that many matches.

Selecting Your Candle:

The process of imprinting the candle begins as soon as you decide to cast the spell and the first big decision will probably be your choice of candle. You should select a new candle that has not been burned or used for any other purpose. It’s also customary to use a candle that has a solid colour all the way through; a lot of normal dinner candles are made of slightly cheaper white wax and are ‘overdipped’ with a single thin coat of coloured wax.

As well as choosing a candle for its symbolism there are also practical considerations like the size. Because the spell requires you to light the candle and then burn it completely most spell candles are smaller than dinner table candles - you don’t want to be waiting around too long! Huge church-style pillar candles are a definite no-no unless you’ve booked a week off work and depending on the wax even medium sized candles can burn for half a day or so.

Colour:

Different colours symbolise different aims and using coloured candles is a powerful way of reinforcing the spell. There are some colour correspondences below to get you started. If you can’t find the right colour then white can stand in since white light is made up of all the other colours.

White - Purity, Peace, Balance

Black - Protection, Countercurse, Banishing Negativity

Red - Love, Courage, Passion

Blue - Calm, Spirit, Honour

Yellow - Imagination, Charm, Joy

Green - Prosperity, Nature, Healing

Orange - Energy, Adaptability, Fortune

Purple - Wisdom, Psychic Realm, Protection

There are other ways of using colour and some practitioners draw colour correspondences with starsigns, herbs and even Tarot cards. If you think it’s more appropriate for your spell you can use other correspondences instead.

Cleansing:

Once you have selected the candle you need to cleanse it.

The candle can be cleansed using smoke from incense, using salt or using crystals. To use incense, pass the candle through the smoke turning it as though you were rinsing it. To use salt simply submerge the candle in the salt and say a brief blessing. If you would like to use crystals you can arrange quartz around the candle and leave it to purify - quartz points or clusters are best.

Carving the Candle:

No, you’re not having it for dinner! Use your athame to carve symbols or words into the candle which represent your desired outcome. If you don’t have an athame or want to keep yours unused then you can use a knife or tool which is set aside for Magickal work.

Dressing the Candle:

To add a further level of symbolism you can dress the candle with oil. Select an oil which is in tune with your intentions and shake a couple of drops on to it then rub the oil from the top of the candle to the base if your spell is to send things away (debt, negative feeling etc) or from the base to the top if you wish to draw things to you (luck, health). This can help you focus on exactly what you are asking for - most problems can be addressed by taking either approach: If you’re casting a spell because you have moved to a new area and you’re feeling alone do you want to push away the feeling of loneliness or draw friendship towards you?

If you’re struggling with how to phrase things then you can take your lead from the Moon. When the Moon is waxing it aids in drawing things to you, when it is waning it helps to push things away.

Burning:

Once the candle has been prepared you can place it in a holder on your altar and light it. If it goes out then you can relight it but if it goes out after it has been lit three times then now is not the right time for the spell.

You can burn a complimentary incense alongside the candle if you can find one which reinforces the spell. If you do, you can light the incense (or the charcoal if you’re using resin) from the candle flame.

After The Spell:

After the candle has burned out (or gone out three times) you shouldn’t just throw it away. If the spell was successful you can carry the stub as a charm. Otherwise (or when you’ve finished with the charm) you should return it to the earth by burying it.

The spell also needs you to commit to its result, you can’t just light the candle and sit back. You need to start taking action to try and achieve your desired result - if you want a new job but you’re not applying anywhere you’re not allowing the spell the opportunities it needs to work. Magick is only a part of a solution, not the solution itself.